Physics
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Databases Explained
Databases are collections of resources such as journal articles and conference papers, and also sometimes book chapters and reports. If you are doing a literature search or systematic review they are a key resource to use.
Databases
The Library catalogue enables you to find out if the Library has particular books or journals, or to identify books on a subject by keyword. To identify journal articles, books, book chapters, dissertations, standards etc. on a particular topic you need to use a database. Physics databases are listed on the Library website. You can access relevant journal articles and other information on databases such as:
- Access Science @ McGraw-Hill the online encyclopedia of science & technology This link opens in a new window - MORE THAN 8700 ARTICLES covering all major scientific disciplines are continuously reviewed and updated - 115,000-PLUS DEFINITIONS from the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms are built into search results - HUNDREDS OF BRIEFINGS about relevant concepts in science and technology provide a great starting place for research topic ideas - 3000 BIOGRAPHIES cover well-known scientific figures - 19,000-PLUS IMAGES AND ANIMATIONS illustrate key concepts in engaging and meaningful ways - VIDEO BIOGRAPHIES highlight the life and work of award-winning scientists
- ArXiv.org e-Print archive. This link opens in a new window Areas covered include physics and related disciplines, e.g. astrophysics, condensed matter, general relativity and quantum cosmology, high energy physics, mathematical physics, nuclear physics, quantum physics, mathematics, computer science, nonlinear sciences and quantitative biology.
- IOPScience This link opens in a new window IOP publishing provides a range of journals, ebooks, magazines, conference proceedings and websites for the scientific community . With offices in the UK, US, Germany, China and Japan, researchers are served in the physical and related sciences in all parts of the world.
- ScienceDirect This link opens in a new window ScienceDirect is Elsevier's leading information solution for researchers, teachers, students, health care professionals and information professionals. It combines authoritative, full-text scientific, technical and health publications with smart, intuitive functionality so that you can stay informed in your field, and can work more effectively and efficiently.
- Scopus This link opens in a new window Scopus is the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature: scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. Delivering a comprehensive overview of the world's research output in the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities, Scopus features smart tools to track, analyze and visualize research.
- Web of Science Core Collection This link opens in a new window Provides access to the world’s leading citation databases with multidisciplinary information from over 12000 high impact journals and over 160000 conference proceedings from around the world. Includes powerful cited reference searching the Analyze Tool over 100 years of comprehensive backfile and citation data.
More databases relevant to Physics are available here
How to Access Databases
It's very simple. You can access any of the Library's databases just by searching the Library Catalogue. Simply enter the name of the database in the search box and click on the database link in the search results. Remember to log in for full access.
Searching within a Database
When you are searching a database, you can access content by searching under:
- subject heading or keyword
- title
- author
- journal name
Getting to the full-text
There are two main kinds of database:
- Bibliographic - they won't show you the full paper straight away, but you can often read an abstract and see the author details. You'll need to check using
if the library has access to the journal article - Full text - will let you open and read the article directly from the list of results
